The International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES) has been spearheaded by the Washington University in St. Louis to encourage and coordinate university-wide and external collaborative research in the areas of renewable energy and sustainability including biofuels, CO2 mitigation and coal-related issues.

A key goal of I-CARES is to foster institutional, regional and international research on the development and production of biofuels from plant and microbial systems and the exploration of sustainable alternative energy and environmental systems and practices. Research at the center will also focus on the region's important coal resources and efforts to mitigate carbon dioxide accumulation, improve combustion processes and reduce emissions.

More about this $55 milion investment from the WUSTL news report.